Exciting News…The 2009 Heart Ball is quickly approaching!

Just thought I’d pass along this email from Mel.  He sent it out to his entire address book, which happens to be pretty extensive!  We are so excited about the 2009 Pee Dee Heart Ball and are hoping for a huge success!  Our little sweetheart even gets to make an appearance that night!  The American Heart Association PR piece (featuring Mary Clare) that I mentioned in an earlier post will be debuted as well!  Call or email me if you are interested in attending!

Dear friends & family,

I wanted to take a moment and bring you up to speed on what we’ve been up to these last few months.  Both Kerri and the girls are doing well and ready to get to the summer as fast as possible.

McCanless is now five and has recently been visited by the tooth fairy for the first time.  I might add that the tooth fairy didn’t take into account that daddy would be cleaning up fairy dust for several days after her visit.  She has started sleeping in her own bed, and has become a dancing-with-the-stars junkie!  I have been having nightmarish premonitions lately about boys and dating in the too-near distant future.

Many of you are aware that our youngest daughter, Mary Clare, was diagnosed with hypo plastic left heart syndrome and has recovered well from her second surgery.  Basically she was born without one of the normal four chambers of her heart.  Since then they have combined the other two leaving her what we call “The biggest half-a-heart.” Kerri has chronicled our girl’s life on her blog, www.babypennington.com, which is now boasting close to 500 readers from across the country.

Kerri is still teaching at Thomas Hart Academy and spends the rest of her free time playing with the girls and putting up with me.  She has done an amazing job helping to mold those two little minds.  Kerri has been a dear to put up with my many ideas and businesses – late nights, and traveling.  She’s made her place in the heart world by becoming an ear for other troubled mothers dealing with heart issues.

I have recently volunteered to co-chair the American Heart Association Annual Heart Ball.  We’ve decided to combine the ball this year with the Florence Ball.  I have attached a copy of the article that is running in the paper next week (mostly for my mother to have something to be proud of me)  I’m getting ready to buy a letterpress made in 1905 and start two new companies – but I’ll save that story for a later time.

We’ve been through hell and made it out the other side these last 24 months.  Kerri is the pillar of strength we all leaned on to get by.  We both have a firm belief that we owe a lot to our family, our friends, and those involved with Mary Clare.

This year we will be attending the Pee Dee Heart Ball to say thanks to those that choose to continue to support our efforts to improve lives and fund research.

I hope that you will decide to bring your date to a wonderful evening of dining, dancing, and social networking.  It would mean the world to our family to have you attend.  If you let me know you’ll attend early enough, we would love to have you over prior to the event for cocktails, and we are arranging to have limo service to the event and home again.  This event sells out very quickly each year due to the a-list of people that attend each year.

I have asked our friends at the Heart Association to allow me to hold a few tickets back for friends and family.  They aren’t tickets actually, they’re reservations, and they can be made by calling (843) 665-0985 or by email me. Please let me know as soon as you are able about your plans to attend.  We’re going to have a time to remember – this I can promise you.

Please make sure to check in on the girl’s website from time to time.  Kerri does a better job of posting than I do on my blog www.melpennington.com .  We thank you again for your continued prayers and friendship.  I hope to see you each in person in the very near future.

With fondest regards,
Mel

PS: Feel free to forward this email along to other friends that I may have missed, blog about it, or help spread the word!

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